Certainly both camps need to learn something from each other here -- at 8MB for the kernel and integrated applets, Windows CE needs to go on a diet, and its interface on a Palm-sized unit is way too complicated for the average user to do everyday PDA-type tasks with it. It's better suited to devices with larger form factors and bigger screens, where the Windows interface can really shine. And because Windows can address huge amounts of memory, with no limit to the size of programs you can run on it, CE developers don't tend to write code that's efficient, which results in bloated applications.

In contrast, Palm device programmers know what the Palm OS's limitations are, and thus have had to work with a lot less. Where CE needs to go on a diet, Palm OS needs to improve its hardware support, increase base addressable memory and add multitasking capabilities if it wants to move into the future of wireless computing and serious vertical applications. Lets face it, 4MB of RAM and single-tasking just won't cut the mustard for the next generation of wireless Personal Communications Devices (PCD's) which will merge the functions of cell phone, organizer and Internet terminal.

And that my friends, is a story for another day.

Jason Perlow is a computer consultant and freelance writer living in the NYC metro area. He can be reached via email at the incredibly cool address of jason@argonautsystems.com.